GTA 5 Enhanced Edition Leaves a PC Feature Behind

Grand Theft Auto 5 Enhanced is finally here, bringing gamers an updated version of the beloved action-adventure game. As its name implies, the enhanced edition brings updated visuals, faster loading times, improved audio, and more. In theory, this new and improved version of the game ought to be a step up in nearly every way. However, players jumping into the game today quickly realized that one beloved PC feature has gone missing. In-game chat, previously a staple of playing GTA 5 on PC, is nowhere to be found.

The newly enhanced edition of GTA 5 is available on PC via the Rockstar Games Launcher and Steam. As of now, you can’t get GTA 5 Enhanced via the Epic Games Store. This version brings in many features from the console versions of the games, including new cars along with the performance upgrades to graphics and load times. And, perhaps most importantly, it’s free if you already own a PC version of GTA 5. For those who don’t yet own a copy of GTA 5, the Enhanced Edition costs $24.99, though it’s currently on sale to celebrate the new release.

Now that the GTA 5 update has arrived, gamers should be able to load GTA 5 Enhanced in their library on Steam or the Rockstar Games Launcher. However, there’s one reason you might want to stick to the original, now called GTA 5 Legacy vs. the new GTA 5 Enhanced.

Many gamers are used to communicating with friends while playing GTA 5 online using the game’s in-game text chat. However, this feature is no longer available in GTA 5 Enhanced. Players initially thought this might be a glitch, but in response to one player’s support ticket, Rockstar reportedly confirmed that “in-game text chat will not be supported at launch” for this new version of the game. In the same response, they suggested using “platform chat functionality” or “the game’s SMS feature” to communicate with fellow gamers.

For a version that’s meant to be an improvement, it’s interesting to see the removal of a feature that many players loved. However, the key wording “at launch” suggests that it’s possible in-game text chat could return in GTA 5 Enhanced eventually. For now, many gamers are sad to see the text chat missing, as it’s a common way to connect with other fans and even make new friends while playing GTA Online.

Fans Concerned Lack of In-Game Chat Forshadows GTA 6

As much as Grand Theft Auto fans are digging into the re-released GTA 5 Enhanced Edition, there’s another big date looming on the horizon. And with the removal of in-game chat for this latest GTA release, fans worry what it could mean for the future of this feature in the franchise. The exact release date for GTA 6 hasn’t been confirmed, but it’s expected to come out sometime in late 2025… if it doesn’t get delayed like so many games these days. When it does come out, GTA 6 is expected to be one of the biggest games of the year. But will it bring back in-game chat?

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Gamers noticing this feature’s absence from GTA 5 Enhanced are concerned it spells the future for no in-game chat for GTA 6. And with an official Discord channel for GTA 6 already out there, it’s quite possible Rockstar has a different vision for how fans will communicate while playing this latest entry in the series. Discord chat is, after all, one of the most popular ways for gamers to communicate while playing online, and many GTA fans already use it for a voice chat option when playing GTA 5. Not every gamer wants to or can use audio, however, which is why many feel it would be a shame if GTA 5 Enhanced‘s lack of in-game text chat becomes the new way forward for future Grand Theft Auto games.

Are you disappointed that GTA 5 Enhanced doesn’t support in-game text chat? Let us know in the comments below!